Running To The Future
by StarofCalamity
Summary: Cat is a slave. When Frank finds out what happened in Jamaica, he urges her to run and find somewhere where she could stay hidden. No-one guessed this place was the future!
1. Chapter 1

_Summer of 1790_

I woke up and looked outside. I was staying at Frank's family's mansion as she had nowhere else to stay- I was still technically Hawkin's slave. I hadn't told anyone this though, no-one knew it who hadn't been there. It was this particluar day that was going to change my life. Reader, I must explain that what happened next wasn't entirely my fault.

I had walked into the drawing room to see Frank staring at me. Frank who was supposed to be away at Cambridge.

"What's wrong Frank?" I asked.

He shook his head and passed me a piece of paper.

_Demand for return of Slave _it read.

I paled and looked up. Luckily there was no one else around.

_Cat Royal must be returned to immediantly._

I turned around to run out of the house when Frank grabbed me on the shoulder. "Wait..."

I couldn't believe it- my own friend was going to hand me in.

I tried to yank myself free but he kept hold.

"Look, Cat. I'm not going to hand you in but how did that happen?

"In Jamaica... he... I..."

Frank sighed. "Look Cat. You can't stay here in London...He'll find you. You need to run."

There was a thudding at the door- had they found me?


	2. Chapter 2

Frank slowly walked up to the door and opened it an inch. "Come in" he whispered.

I was about to protest and run when I saw who he had let in.

Standing in the hall was a girl who looked exactly like me. Except for the fact that she was wearing strange clothes. Trousers, like a boy, but blue and just different...

Her top was pink and looked like someone had painted all over it.

"Hi," she shouted.

Frank just shrugged and mouthed "We'll get rid of her and then we can figure out what to do about You Know...."

"Hello" me and Frank chorused.

"What are you wearing?" she giggled.

"Normal clothes"

"No seriously."

The girl then shouted in French. "Est-elle un idiot? Ils ne sont pas normal de vêtements! C'est comme une sorte de TV

montrer."

Reader, I had learned French, and knew exactly what she meant - Are you an idiot? They aren't normal clothes!" and then something about a TV show, whatever that is.

Frank looked at her in surprise. "Where did you learn to speak French?"

She frowned then looked him straight in the eye. "École, bien sûr." _"School of course"_

"Girls don't go to school" Frank muttered.

The girl then sat down on one of the armchairs and took her bag off her back and opened it. Throwing me a book, she told me to open it to Page 97.

Then she saw a piece of paper on the floor and I knew that it was the slavery message...


	3. Chapter 3

_**The time shown as TIME is the time that has elapsed to the Time Travellers.**_

_Summer 1790_

"Oh my God!" she shouted.

We just sat there looking on as my double stared at the piece of paper.

"You're all sick! All of you! And who is Cat Royal? Is she your slave?" the girl screamed and threw the paper at me.

I sighed. "No, **I'm **Cat Royal"

Then she grabbed hold of my hand and started pulling me outside. Frank ran at her and tried to free me but she refused to let go.

"Look, I know I shouldn't do this but I'm going to anyway. Instead of running away, why don't you come with me to... the future?"

I started to laugh. "Just because you're wearing trousers, doesn't mean you're from the future."

Then she vanished leaving me and Frank standing there.

She reappeared seconds later wearing a beautiful dress. "What do you say?" she asked, holding out an outstretched hand.

Reader, I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to leave all my friends, but I didn't want to be a slave.

I placed my hand on top of hers, and so did Frank.

Suddenly the room seemed to fade from view...

*

_Spring 1810_

_1 minute later_

We fell to the floor.

The girl smiled. "My name's Ellie"

"Cat and Frank"

I looked around. "I thought you were taking us to the future? Is this just a joke?"

She laughed. "No. It's not a joke. And this is the future. 1st of January 1810." She looked over her shoulder. "That's twenty years later for you.... and 180-odd years too early for me to be even born."

Frank looked puzzled. "How did you get here then?"

"Time travel" she whispered.

I started walking towards the nearest building, and recognized it as Lizzie's house. I was starting to believe her now..

"Why are we in America?" I shouted at Ellie.

"Well... I've always wanted to go over the pond and... I thought that maybe it would be a good fresh start for you. I'll be back tommorrow at 10, and then you can decide if you are staying here." she shrugged.

"Look, Frank. Get her to take you back home. You don't need to leave. I mean, twenty years is a long time and... I don't want to ruin your life."

"I'm not leaving you Cat."

I smiled and then looked up at the house.

We heard someone come thudding down the steps. Five little kids crowded round her feet, we saw an older Lizzie standing there crying. "It can't be you. It can't be you either Cat. I'm dreaming. Oh God, I must be dreaming." Then I realised - it had been 20 years for everyone else.

She was about to slam the door on her "Dream" when I walked in and shook her by the shoulders.

"Lizzie, it really is us. I promise. I promise you."

"But it can't be. If it was then you would look different to the last time I saw you. You would be older, taller and anyway where's your husband, your children?"

I paled. "Don't have any."

"But Cat-"

Frank walked in and hugged Lizzie who now seemed to believe us. "How can you be so short? And... you don't look ANY different to you did 20 years ago. This _must _be a joke. It can't be you. Hang on, if it really is you two, then where have you been for TWENTY YEARS? How haven't you grown? How come Billy Sheperd couldn't find you when he searched the entire world. It cost so much... so much. Frank, why didn't you come home, where could you have been?"

Frank shuddered. "Well, Lizzie, I couldn't have came back because...."

I closed the door. "Lizzie. I think this might explain why I left but Frank" I handed her the Notice for Return Of Slave

She read it and gasped. "That's why I left. I couldn't possibly come back,"

I heard a knock on the door and opened it to see a tall man, and a black couple. "Come in" Lizzie whispered and we were all ushered into a small living room. Me and Frank sat in a corner, trying to hide from view.

"Everyone, I've finally found Cat and Frank. They've been missing twenty years, but I think I've finally found them. That's them, hiding in the corner."

The people turned and looked at us. I realised that they must be Pedro, Jenny and Syd.

"Lizzie, you need to give up. They're not coming back." Pedro said before turning to look at us. He swore and then turned back to Lizzie.

"It can't be them though. They still look like they're fifteen. It's not possible. I mean they can't be thirty five."

"Maybe that's they're kids" muttered Jenny.

Pedro walked up to us and sat down. "It can't be you. Where could you have hidden for twenty years?"

"Pedro, I think two things will explain where we've been. And I'm sorry." I handed him the slavery notice and his eyes widened as he realised what it meant.

"But how did you hide from Shepherd? How didn't we find you? How come Cat's still wearing the exact same clothes I last saw her in, twenty years ago"

I heard a whurring noise and looked around to see Ellie standing in the centre of the room. "Time can be a funny thing. Maybe to you it was twenty years - but maybe to them it was twenty seconds."

Lizzie gasped as Ellie made the room dissapear from view. We were standing in a field somewhere, all of us.

_Winter 2000 _

_1 hr after previous scene_

There were so many strange noises and smells. Ellie shouted at the group. "Listen, you want proof of time travel? Welcome to Philadelphia, in the Year 2000!" And then she started humming this weird song - Year 3000.

We gasped as metal monsters passed by and there were buildings that seemed to stretch to the sky.

"Ellie, take me and Frank to the past. Before we were even born." I whispered after asking Frank about it.

She sent the others back to 1810.

"Look you two, if you go to the past no-one will know you. You will be just nobodies and most of all. But you can travel the world, do whatever you like because no one can stop you. And I'll give you access to time travel"

She passed me a blue orb. "Twist it and you will travel in time. Good luck Cat" she whispered and then vanished.

_Summer 1564_

_Seconds Later_

I looked around. "Didn't Ellie say that it would be just before I was born? Well, this looks like... Elizabethean England!"

Frank looked around. "Well, we can always leave. But first, let's get something to eat."

Reader, I promise you I did not know what would happen when we walked into that pub. I will tell more of this devious tale when I have the strength to write more.

**A.N Hope somebody read this. Anybody? I won't bother putting online if no one reviews.**

**Please?**

**Even a flame would be nice!**


	4. Chapter 4

We walked into the pub and sat down.

"Frank, I've just realised something. Look at what they're wearing!"

We looked around and noticed that we did look strange in comparison.

Suddenly, some one thumped Frank. "I think we should go," I muttered.

"What you coming in here lookin' like that?" someone shouted at us. Frank nodded at me and we started to walk towards the door. Two teens blocked our way.

"Ya not leavin'"

I frowned and mouthed to Frank. "Are you ready for a fight?" Shakily he nodded.

"Look, I think we are leaving!" I shouted and the whole pub laughed.

I tried to shove past the boys but they refused to let me through. They looked really weak, so maybe I would have a chance?

I punched one of them in the face and he fell backwards. No-one came to help him, I ran outside and Frank followed.

"You know, I think we should leave now!"

I twisted the orb and we both fell, fell through time.

_Winter 1775 _

_5 minutes later_

"When are we?" Frank groaned.

"Looks like home"

"Look, Cat - I shouldn't have let you hit him , I mean that's my..."

"You let me be a sailor, get a tattoo, go running across the world all on my own but you feel guilty if I get in a fight?"

He smiled.

"Frank, this can't be 1790, because look; there's Drury Lane Theatre. Let's go inside."

We walked into the theatre and looked around. When I saw the basket at the front of the room, I understood exactly when we were.

Because in the basket was the only orphan to ever be raised in Drury Lane Theatre.

"Frank, that baby- that's me"

"Cat, are you sure?"

I nodded, totally shocked.

"Cat, I don't think we should be here,"

"Why not? I mean it's not as if we're going to be recgonized or anything. And anyway, we could always act for money?"

Really, I don't know why Frank stayed. And I am a bit sad that I left. After all Pedro didn't run from his friends because of being a runaway slave. But I was, and I was just a servant really - 20 years of serving. It still didnt make it any easier though.

"Frank. I think we should go back home. To 1790."

"But Mr. Hawkins is in London. He spends half of his time there. You would be sent back. You wouldn't last 20 years. Really, you wouldn't."

I knew that he was right. If Mr. Hawkins found me, I would not live to see another day.

I saw Mr. Sheridan up at the front of the stage.

"Sir! We're looking for a job. Me and Frank."

He beckoned us over to him.

"Well? What kind of job do you want, Miss?"

"Cat. Any job. We'll take anything." Frank nodded.

"Well, Catherine and Francis, we have positions free, but only in wardrobe. So, I'm very sorry but there is only work for Cat as it would be-"

Frank shocked me then. "I can work in wardrobe"

I whispered to him "You sure, we can go and find work on a ship?"

"Well, I don't want you to have to disguise yourself as a boy again-"

I smiled. "I think I'd feel more at home on a ship than here, when no one knows who I am."

"You sure?"

I nodded.

We walked out of the theatre. "How are we going to get you on board?" Frank muttered.

"We could pay them, or you could get pressganged on purpose?"

"Cat, are you mad?"

"Yes probably."

We ran for the docks and decided on the honest approach.

I stepped on board, laughing.

"I'd like to sign up" Frank shouted.

A man came onto the deck. "Sign here" he said, tossing Frank a coin.

Instead of signing Frank shook his head. "I'll sign up if my friend can."

"Who, her?" the man laughed.

Frank nodded.

"No chance."

Frank sighed. "I'll pay you."

The man looked thoughtful.

"One guinea."

The man whistled and nodded. "I guess... as long as you keep your _secret_ hidden. I could use the extra money. I'll give you and ya boyfriend a cabin on your own."

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"Oh? So why you running away for?"

"Who said I was running?"

"It's obvious,Miss. Why else would he be paying a pound just to get you on the ship. Who you running from?"

"If I told you everything you would be terrified. I'm running from the world. I'm running from England and from London and from Drury Lane. I'm running from Billy Sheperd. I'm running from Syd. I'm running from Hawkins."

"Miss, are you mad?"

"Doesn't matter if I am really. Just let me on board."

I stepped on board and signed the list as 'Tom C." I was passed a coin.

Frank ran off to find some sailor clothes while I stared at the man - the First Mate. "So where are we headed?"

"I know I'm mad for letting a woman on board...Everyone's gonna find out, I mean how are you meant to be able to be a sailor?" He didn't answer my question though.

"I think I'll manage just fine. Just one thing. Don't tell anyone who I am."

"Miss, I think if I did Id lose my job and... Why did I let you come on board."

"Show me my cabin please" and he pointed at the room nearby.

I looked inside and Frank was gathering a sailor outfit, all white.

He was already wearing his.

"I'll be out there. Here's your clothes." and then he walked back up onto the deck. I put on the outfit and put my hair into a ponytail. Stepping back out onto the deck, I looked around.

"Hi Cat." Frank said without even looking at me.

"Hi Frank. You know you should be calling me Tom Cat - like last time."

"Hang on. You said Last Time like you've snuck on board a ship before?" the First mate said.

"Yeah. I got all the way to the Americas."

"Well! I'm Bob. Hello Cat" he winked.

I climbed up the rigging and sat down on the bird's nest. Bob was laughing in amazement as he saw how fast I had got up there.

_1 day later_

I was sitting on the deck talking quietly to Frank when the rest of the crew came aboard.

"Cat. You're not like any other girl I know."

"Shh..." I smiled and walked away.

There was a speech on how to work. "We're going to the Carribean. We deliver these guns to a base there and then we head back to England. That will take about a year. There will be no jumping ship." I looked over at Bob and winked.

Over the next few days no-one noticed who I was.

"You two! Climb up the rigging. You're on night watch!" the Captain pointed at me and Frank.

Groaning we climbed the rigging. Ten hours up there feels like forever.

I climbed the rigging faster than Frank, which was strange. "Frank? You alright?"

He nodded slowly. "I guess... It's just. This is so weird. We're in the middle of the sea and no-one knows us. And you're a sailor."

I smiled. "I shouldn't be here really, should I? Either should you. We should be in 1790, when there's no Drury Lane Theatre, and..."

"We can't go back. Not now."

"No. Not yet."

Six months into the journey and there was a visitor on board. Ellie just materialised into the cabin.

"Cat,Frank, where are you?"

"On a ship, we're sailors. Be quiet."

"I thought women weren't allowed on navy ships."

"They're not. Which is exactly why I'm trying not to attract attention."

"Cat. You will not grow older or change while you are away from your home time. You will not be injured. It is the gift of time travel but you cannot stay away forever. Be careful! There is something that will take you, someone, if you stay too long. I have to go."

She vanished again.

A day later, we spotted land.

"Frank, we're there! We're there."

"Cat you survived as a sailor."

I smiled as we waited for the ship to draw closer.#

Eventually everyone disembarked on the Carribean island. When everyone was gone I looked back at the cabin.

"Frank, should I stay in disguise?"

He smiled. "It's up to you Cat."

I ran back into the cabin and changed into my dress. Then running off the boat we walked around the island.

"We could quickly head home. Say we've gone sailing?"

I passed him the orb.

"Alright then Cat."

And he twisted the orb.

We started to fall again.


	5. Chapter 5

Summer 1790 - 1 month later from leaving

1 second later

I looked around me quickly. We were still at the docks. I decided that if we ran then Hawkins couldn't get me even if he was here. And

if it came to it, I had the orb. We ran to Grosvenor Square and hurried inside Frank's family's house, not knowing how long we had been

gone to them. We expected it to be just a day or two.

Laughing at happiness that I was off the ship, I walked into the house, looking down at how muddy we were, and at Frank's strange

sailor clothes. I heard a glass smashing and looked up to see Pedro staring in shock at us.

"You..."

"Pedro, how long have we been gone?" I moaned, dreading the answer.

"A month" he growled.

I looked back at Frank.

"Cat, is this because of ? Did you run to get away from 20 years of service to him?"

"Maybe" I squeaked, and Frank groaned.

Pedro looked at Frank. " So where have you been?"

"In the Navy."

"And you deserted?"

"No I'm going back. Tommorrow."

Pedro turned back to me. "Where have you been?"

"Do you really want to know Pedro?"

He stared at me.

"I've been in the Navy too."

He burst out laughing.

"Alright then Pedro, do you want proof?"

He nodded.

I ran out into the hallway, turned the dial, and dissapeared.

Summer 1775

1 minute later

Checking that no-one was on board I ran inside the cabin ,tied my hair up and changed into sailors clothes. I picked up my pay,

remembering that it had been left in the cabin, and headed back to 1790. To me and Frank, six months had passed, but to Pedro, we had

only been gone a month.

Summer 1790

1 second later

I appeared at the dock this time, and walked quickly back to the house. I knocked on the front door. Frank opened the door, grinning.

Pedro stared on in shock as I dropped six gold coins onto the table.

"You got all that in a month?"

"No. These three are Frank's" passing Frank his money.

Pedro burst out laughing.

"Cat! Where can I sign up?"

I shook my head - we couldn't send Pedro back in time.

"Why not?" he demanded.

"They're full?"

Pedro shook his head.

Frank sighed. " Fine. Promise you'll only sign up for six months though."

We were going back to 1795 - and taking Pedro with us.

I remembered the basket at Drury Lane that we had saw.

Before we boarded ship again, we were going to find out who had left me at the Theatre.

*

Spring 1775

1 minute later

Pedro opened his eyes. "What just happened?"

"You collapsed." Frank lied.

Confused, Pedro nodded.

I looked around, we were by the dock that we would have climbed on board the ship.

"Wait here." I told Pedro and Frank. Only Frank understood where I was going - to find my parents.

Spotting a nurse carrying a basket I looked at her, and saw it was the baby me. She thrust the basket into my arms, passing me a letter and necklace as well.

"Take her. I stole her. She isn't mine. I'm sorry." the woman screamed. I walked away,t aking the necklace and letter. A few minutes later I dropped the baby at the theatre door and waited for her to be taken. Quickly I put on the necklace.

I walked back to Frank and Pedro with a smile on my face.

"Nice necklace Cat," Frank smirked. I sat down by the dock and opened the letter.

"What's that asked Pedro?"

"A letter from my parents." I whispered.

"What? Cat - I thought you were abandoned."

"I was given it today."

I read the envelope - **To Catherine, Foundling Child. Open only when you are fifteen.**

_Dear Catherine,1775_

_I was your nurse. I stole you because I wanted a child so bad. You may only now be a few months old, but when you grow you will want to know who your parents are. I want to say sorry for causing you to live as an abandoned child, unwanted and alone but I could not take you back or they would punish me. The necklace, it was your mothers. Perhaps when you are old enough you can find them. They were the Duke and Duchess of Avon. _

_I'm so sorry._

_Nurse Redfurn._

I dropped the letter in shock. Frank was my brother?

"Cat? What is it?" Frank asked. I started to cry, passed the letter to Frank and sat down.

"Oh my God! Cat!" he hugged me and looked up. "You do have family."

Pedro looked at the letter and smiled. "You're rich! And you've got family. Lucky..."

"Yeah but I can't go back can I? He'd find me."

Suddenly Ellie appeared and walked towards us. Luckily Pedro didn't see.

"Hi Cat, Frank. What's your name?"

"Pedro."

"Hi Pedro"

"Cat, is she your twin?"

Ellie laughed. "I can't be her twin."

"Why?" Pedro demanded.

"Because if I was then I wouldn't be...."

Me and Frank knew what she meant - she wouldn't be from the future. But Pedro didn't.

"Anyway, Frank, I've just came to give you this." he handed Frank a piece of paper. He nodded and tore it up. Ellie was already gone.

"We'd better head for the ship." I said.

Frank nodded. "Pedro close your eyes."

Confused, he did and Frank turned the orb.

Summer 1775, Carribean

5 minutes later

"Right, Frank you go get my disguise" I tried to forget that he was my brother, or else I would probably want to go back to Grovensor square and see... my family.

He nodded and came back with the sailors clothes. I snuck onto the ship and changed into them.

I tied my hair back in a ponytail and looked across at Pedro still standing on the dock. "Where are we?" he asked.

I shrugged. The First Mate signed Pedro up and soon we set sail. I looked at Frank. I had family.

There were six months left of the voyage and then we would be back in England. Then I would think about whether or not to tell them that I was their lost daughter.

Spring 1776

6 months later

By the end of the six months we all staggered off the ship, we were back in Bath. We walked round town and Pedro suddenly stopped still.

"That's Drury Lane."

I groaned, we still hadn't told him - and he was going to find out the hard way.

He walked inside and gasped as he saw a toddler walking around on stage. Dazed, Pedro walked up to Mr. Sheridan.

"Hello Sir. What is that baby's name?"

Although confused, Mr. Sheridan answered. "Why, that's Cat Royal. We named her after the theatre."

I paled and ran out of the theatre. Pedro stormed after me. "Is this a joke Cat? Am I hallucinating? How can that be you? How can that be you in there? How can the theatre even still be standing?"

We decided to tell the truth. "Pedro, well... I suppose we should tell you the truth, eh?"

"Yes you should."

I ran into a shop and paid for a newspaper.

Giving it to Pedro, I bit my lip.

He gasped as he read the date.

"What the... are you aliens?"

I laughed, "No. Ellie, that girl, gave me a.. time machine. She's from the future."

Pedro raised an eyebrow.

"Look I'll show you."

I gave Frank the orb and he turned it, leaving us standing outside Grosvenor Square.


	6. Chapter 6

November 1790

Minutes later

Scared, Pedro knocked gingerly on the door. "Are you sure?" he asked Frank and Frank smiled. We expected to arrive just a day or two after we last left, but something went wrong. We had arrived _months_ later. Me and Frank hadn't been seen since summer so he was probably going to get a lecture, that and there might be missing posters around. I looked around up the street and sure enough there were posters. I walked up to one and yanked it down.

**Missing! Frank, Earl of Avon. **Then there was a description of him. **Also missing, his friends Cat Royal and Pedro A.** Following that were descriptions of us! Frank's parents had actually bothered to look for us.

Realising I was still wearing sailor's trousers, I hid round the corner and put my dress on over the sailor clothes. I ran back round to the front door and looked to see Frank still staring at the door. I shivered, we were wearing summer clothes and snow was starting to fall.

"Frank? I'll knock again if you want?" Pedro said but Frank didn't answer.

Sighing, I rapped loudly on the door. We leaned back on the wall. When no-one answered Frank opened the door. Stepping inside, Frank led us into the drawing room. I clutched the letter and stepped after him, Pedro following.

"Is anyone here?" I shouted, and heard a loud bang. Syd emerged from the hallway looking frightened.

" Who is it?" he shouted. I gulped and stepped out into the hall.

"Cat? How can it be you? You've been missin' for months." He hugged me and then walked into the room. "Frank! Pedro! Where the 'ell have you been?"

Frank frowned. "Where is everyone?"

Syd stiffenned. "They've gone to America, to see if you ran off there, where you might have thought no-one would find you."

All three of us groaned. I threw Frank the orb. "You know what to do." I mouthed.

Syd just looked confused. "Cat? Where'd you get that necklace? Did you nick it?" He looked concerned. Syd wanted me to stay on the straight and narrow, unless I didn't have a choice.

"No, I was given it."

Now he looked mad. "Who by? Where have you all been? We've searched all over London! All over the South of England. So we deserve to know where you where."

Pedro looked Syd straight in the eye. "We were all in the Carribean."

Syd now looked furious. "You couldn't say where you were going? Pedro, Cat - how did you get the money for that? And if you stowed away _why?_ What's in the Carribean that isn't here"

"Well they-" Frank started but Syd silenced him with a glare.

"I joined the navy." Pedro whispered.

Syd nodded thoughtfully. "And you Cat?"

I lifted my skirts to show that I was wearing trousers underneath. "I joined the navy as well. And so did Frank"

Syd laughed, and then looked stern. "Cat, you shouldn't have... Why didn't any of you say you were going?"

We knew he was going to repeat that over and over, and I felt so sorry for him.

Feeling sad, I muttered "You'll all find out in twenty years". Frank nodded as he remembered what had happened in our visit to 1820.

Syd now looked mutinous. "What do you mean? Please, tell me Cat" he begged and I knew we couldn't lie.

"Frank just tell him. Please."

Twisting the orb, Frank shouted "I'll let him see for himself.

Again, we were falling, but this time we were not travelling across time, but just across the sea...


	7. Chapter 7

November 1790, Philadelphia

10 minutes later

I picked myself up off the floor and looked around. Putting the letter into a pocket, I walked around the corner to see Syd standing, leant up against the wall, eyes darting around rapidly, while Frank and Pedro were trying to calm him down.

"But... where are we?" he muttered.

Sighing I dragged him across the road. Standing at the door to a pub was a man of about twenty.

"Please could you tell him" I pointed at Syd "where he is, he's a bit drunk"

The man nodded and gave a throaty laugh. "You're in Philadelphia mate, America!"

Syd moaned and I pulled him back to where Pedro and Frank were standing. " How did we get here?" he cried.

"Well, there was this girl..." Frank started.

"Ellie" I interrupted.

"And she gave Cat this thing, and Ellie's from the future and and and..." Frank was now slightly scared.

"And now we're in America" Pedro whispered.

"My parents have been looking for us for six months" Frank murmered. Then he looked at me. "Our parents" he mouthed.

"I think we'd better tell them you're alright" Pedro said.

Frank nodded and we all started to walk towards Lizzie's house.

We stood in front of the door, none of us wanting to knock first. I looked at Frank and Pedro wearing sailor's uniform and knocked loudly on the door.

I stepped back and closed my eyes. The door creaked open and as I looked up to see Lizzie staring at us in amazement, I also saw Syd collapse behind me. Lizzie was still staring at us in shock as Frank pulled Syd into the house.

Lizzie did something that she would not normally have done. She slapped Frank! "Where have you been? Where have you been Cat? And you Pedro! You dissapeared a month after them!" She looked down and saw Syd standing up again, looking ill. "What's the matter with him?" she asked, with one eye on a little toddler standing behind her.

Thankful that Lizzie had stopped asking questions, Frank said quietly "He's shocked he's in America."

Lizzie laughed. "He's been on a ship for weeks and he's shocked to be here?" She hugged her brother.

"Where have you all been though, really? Papa is still looking for you Frank. Where were you all?"

"The Navy" said Frank.

"On a ship"I answered.

" I was in the Navy as well"

Lizzie nodded sternly, suddenly acting very motherly. "So you two ran away to sea? Where did you leave Cat?"

Me and Frank exchanged glances. "Well, Lizzie they didn't exactly -" I stammered.

"YOU were in the Navy? You disguised yourself as a boy just to get away from London? What's so bad there that you all had to leave? Hmm..."

Knowing that in a few minutes I would be telling Lizzie that we were sisters, I tried to gain sympathy. "Lizzie, if you just read this then you'll know why I had to leave" and handed her the message from that I had found.

"I'm not going to be nobody's slave!" I cried and sat down on the stairs in tears.

Frank looked worried now. "I know I shouldn't have let her join the Navy, but really? What harm did it do? And anyway, none of us are on the records. Check the Navy records for the last year and you will find no-one with our names..."

Lizzie smiled. "Least you're all safe now."

I gulped. "And there's something you should know" I turned around to see the Duke and Duchess of Avon, amazed that Frank was safe. Instead of giving the letter to Lizzie, I gave it to the Duchess who read it, started to cry and hugged me.

"What is it Mama?" Lizzie asked as the Duke read it.

"Cat, she's... my lost baby.. stolen. She's your sister Lizzie!"

Reader, I must stop telling you about the family reunion now, because something even bigger happened then. There was a knock on the door and Frank opened it. Standing outside was his double! Reader, the person outside was just like Ellie - identical to them.

The other Frank walked inside. "Catherine!" he said, patting me on the shoulder.

"You need to come to the future!"

Lizzie and my parents laughed, along with Syd, but me Frank and Pedro nodded.

"We'll be right back... it's a friend of ours."

We walked outside, despite everyone's questioning frowns. The other Frank twisted an orb. "There are only two of these in existance" he said nodding at mine.

We were falling yet again, and this time we had no idea where we were going - or when.


	8. Chapter 8

Spring 1969

1 minute later

We landed with a thump on the ground. There was no-one around and we were in a field - nowhere. We could have been in any time, and I

think that is why other Frank picked this place.

"Hi, my name's Dylan" he said.

We introduced ourselves.

"Oh? Here is a field in 1969." Seeming bored of talking about where we were, he sat down in a tree.

"Anyway, I need you to do something for me Cat Royal. I'm going to take you to the year 1792 and you are going to stay there. You and

your friends too. You can travel in time after you have stayed there for 3 months. I will disable the time travel device for those 3

months. You see, all three of you are fated to be at a certain event, and things will be very different if you aren't..." He coughed

and we were sent through time again...

*

Winter 1792

5 minutes later

"Frank, I've just realised something. We've disapeared again. If Dylan's right, it's been three years for them. And we won't age or

something while we're in any time other than 1790 - till we've lived through that, according to what Ellie said on the ship"

Frank groaned.

We looked up and saw that we were outside Lizzie's house again. Trying to sound cheerful Pedro knocked on the door. "Hello? We're

here!"

This time Lizzie didn't open the door straight away. Instead we listened to the conversation we could hear through the window.

"Three years... they're not coming back"

"We'd only just found her"

"Who was that boy who looked just like Frank?"

"Maybe we imagined all of them being there"

Pedro knocked louder.

"We looked everywhere - where can they have gone? I mean there were no ships leaving the docks the day they left - I checked. And no ships left the day after."

Pedro sighed and thumped on the door again.

"Is someone at the door?" I heard Lizzie ask someone.

Then there was silence. I heard the thudding of footsteps, and then the door was opened by a little girl who looked about five.

"Who are you?" she said.

I leaned forward and looked down at her. I took the necklace from round my neck, and said to her "Tell your Mum, Lizzie, that it's Cat,Frank and Pedro."

"Catherine's my name too!" the girl said, smiling up at me. Then she ran back inside.

I heard screaming inside and then the girl re-appeared. "Come in" she whispered.

We walked inside, and stared at each other. Lizzie, carrying a little baby, emerged into the hallway. "It's really you three? You're alive." She touched my shoulder, as if amazed that I was solid.

"I'm... we're sorry we were gone so long"

She put down the baby and growled. "Where were you? Where were you all for three years? How can you have just vanished off the face of the Earth? How could you leave when we had just found you?"

Frank gulped and turned to her. "We were... kidnapped. That guy, Dylan, he kidnapped us!"

Lizzie looked confused. "Yet your clothes are clean and look so like the ones you were wearing when you disseapeared. You have not grown at all in three years and you are so quiet." Lizzie backed away, scared. "Who are you all really? Where have you been? How can you look the same, and act the same as three years ago? It's as if... you're never going to age."

I groaned and sank back against the wall, waiting for the three months to be over, so we could go somewhere else - maybe even,

Home.


	9. Chapter 9

Winter 1793 3 days later  
Things seemed really awkward between me,Frank,Pedro and everyone else. They still stared at us angrily as if we were evil or had left just to annoy them. At midday me and Pedro walked around outside, to have a proper look around. We soon discovered Johnny following us, as if we were going to run away. Reader, although we didn't want to upset anyone, we really had to go home - I don't know how much more we could have taken!  
We sat down to dinner with everyone else. I saw Lizzie's daughter sitting at the table next to us. She was now about 5 years old, I would guess. It was very strange to see someone you are used to seeing as a little baby, growing up 5 years in what seems like six months.  
Over the next three months nothing exciting happened until a carriage pulled up outside Lizzie's house and knocked on the door. Peering out the front window, Pedro saw that it was Mr. Hawkins. I ran out the back door to see Ellie and Dylan standing blocking the gate. "I'm sorry Cat, but this has to happen. Don't worry, you'll only be his servant for a few months. It's the way history has to unfold."  
Mr Hawkins grabbed me and dragged me into the carriage. I was so scared and annoyed. I thought Ellie and Dylan had been trying to help us when they took away the time travel machine from us - but they were only helping themselves!  
I wondered what would happen next, and sat still, terrified. 


	10. Chapter 10

I had been a servant for about six months, when I decided that I couldn't cope anymore. Stealing a few coins from 's desk, I ran down to the port. Still dressed in clothes that made it obvious that I was a servant I pressed two gold coins into the man's hand, as he stood next to the ship. He looked confused.  
"Miss? We don't allow women on navy ships"  
I groaned inwardly- this was a navy ship?  
"Look! Please. Just this once. I'll go and hide in the stores. I don't care. Please."  
He debated what to say.  
"Where are you headed?" I whispered.  
"Paris"  
I nodded. "Please. Please. Please let me come on board"  
He sighed and said yes, as long as I gave him five extra coins. It was all the money that I had stolen.

A few months later, the boat docked in Paris. I ran off the boat, and spotted Ellie waiting for me.  
Growling at her I started to shout. "Why did you make that happen?Why?"  
She started to cry. "Because now you understand what it's like to be a slave. You have to understand! You have to!"  
A.N Sorry the update is so short. 


	11. Chapter 11

I turned to Ellie and snapped "Why do I have to know what it is like to be a slave? Why?"

Ellie started to sob. "Don't you see Cat? Don't you realise that slavery... well, it's days are numbered. In the next fifty years slavery will be abolished. And you will help"  
I glared at her. "I would have helped anyway, I didn't need all that suffering."  
Ellie shrugged noncommitically, "Too late to complain now"

Ellie handed me back the time travel device and I quickly pressed down the button.

May 1794,Philadelphia

5 minutes later

I ran to the door and thumped it angrily.

"Stupid time machine! Stupid Ellie! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" With every word I said, I thumped the door again. Pedro appeared at the door, confused.

"Let me in" I snapped and he let me into Lizzie's house.

I sat on the ground and burst into tears.

**AN R+R**

**I had really bad writers block so had mucho trouble writing this, so I would really appreciate reviews :)**

**I very nearly gave up writing this story tbh **

**E**


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